'I don't understand why we lose in poorer communities' - Simon Osei-Mensah

The below-par performance of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the just-ended presidential and parliamentary elections as compared to the 2016 general elections is a puzzle to the party leadership, given their over-confidence and bragging rights surrounding the Free SHS education.

The landslide victory that the party leaders were hoping for became a near-lost election. So, what really happened? Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon Simon Osei-Mensah is still in a state of cogitation.

Appearing on Peace FM's flagship morning programme, Krokrokoo, to give his thoughts on why the NPP sank in the 2020 elections, Simon Osei-Mensah said he does not understand why his party keeps losing in the "poorer communities" even when President Akufo-Addo had introduced "pro-poor policies" targeted at such communities.

"Kwame, If I make an assessment on the great jobs done by Nana Addo, the pro-poor policies ...if you have studied the electoral landscape of Ghana, it's the NPP that wins in the big cities and towns, we always lose in the poorer communities, I don't understand." Worried Simon Osei-Mensah told host, Kwame Sefa Kayi as monitored by Ghana Guardian.

Asked if the NPP's sink cannot be as a result of the crises that erupted from the banking sector or perhaps the President's fight against galamsey, the Minister said only a few among the poor were affected and as such, cannot be an issue why NPP obtained a low mark in this elections.

To him, the blame should be placed on the shoulders of their communication machinery who did shoddy work in conveying and explaining the government's policies to the ordinary Ghanaian.

"...How many people among the poor were affected that they should vote against us? How many people lost their money? Even most of them have been paid by the government... The onus here is that, as NPP, we don't market our products well. We couldn't explain the importance of the government's policies to the poorer communities," his position sated.

He continued, "Look at galamsey, I agree people were affected but I can say that over 80% of Ghanaians were in support of the Presenter's course, though I can't back this claim with any scientific data. We succumbed to the NDC's propaganda because of our poor communication."

He, however, called on the leadership of the NPP to make a proper introspection into what led to the party's sink in the 2020 general elections as according to him, "it's the only way we can prepare adequately for the 2024 elections and move ahead to win it convincingly."